Electrical switch



Jan- 20, 1959 J. R. GELZER 2,870,275

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed April 8, 1957 INVENT OR.

BY 2mm/d@ @M United States Patent ELECTRICAL SWITCH .lohn R. Gelzer, Barrington, lll., assignor to Oak Mfg. Co., Cook County, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 8, 1957, Serial No. 651,407

Claims. (Cl. 200--11) This invention relates to an electrical switch and more particularly to a rotary switch which may be readily adapted to various circuit requirements. The switch forming the subject matter of the present application provides a construction which is rugged and is free of the delicacy associated with many rotary switches. The advantages of the invention will be fully appreciated after the invention will have been disclosed. Accordingly reference will now be made to the drawing wherein an exemplary embodiment illustrative of the invention is shown, it being understood that variations may be made within the s-cope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure l is a plan view of a switch embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section along line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail on line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one form of stationary contact.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the spring portion of the switch rotor, this view showing a complete contact member prior to cutting into any parts.

Figure 6 is a plan viewof a companion portion of a switch rotor.

The new switch may be mounted upon any suitable insulating support and is here shown by way of example as being mounted on rigid insulating panel 1i) of suitable material such as Bakelite. Rigidly attached to insulat ing panel 10 are a number of stator contacts. Contacts 12 illustrate one form of stator contact, these contacts being single contacts for one switch position.

Thus referring to Figure 4 Where such a stator contact is shown in detail, contact 12 includes mounting portion 14 having mounting aperture 15. Mounting portion 14 has terminal or lug portion 16 extending from one end thereof and has contact blade portion 18 extending from the other end thereof. Contact blade portion '18 is preferably laterally olset from body portion 14 by shoulder 19 formed by bending the metal.

Contact blade portion 18 is preferably tapered toward free edge 20. Contacts 12 may be made of copper or brass and are preferably silver plated when used in low voltage, low current circuits such as for example in communication equipment, tube testers and the like. Each contact 12 is mounted on insulating panel 10 at an appropriate position by eyelet 21. Eyelet 21 passes through suitable aperture 21a in insulating panel 10.

Each terminal lug portion 16 is bent at an angle to mounting portion 14 and such lug portions may project through aperture 22 in insulating panel 19. lf desired, each lug may extend away from the insulating panel and not pass through the same. The arrangement illustrated however is preferred to any other. By providing al snug fit for the width of terminal lug 16 in aperture 22, turning of the entire contact on the eyelet will be prevented.

As is clearly illustrated in the drawing, shoulder 19 "ice of a stator contact serves to space contact blade 18 upwardly from the surface of the insulating panel.

Stator contacts 12 are secured in a generally circular pattern with reference to rotor opening 25 in insulating panel 10. These stator contacts are preferably spaced at definite angular intervals to determine a number of switch positions.

In addition to individual stator contacts 12, a multiple stator contact 27 may be provided. This multiple contact may have any desired angular extent and is here illustrated as having an angle of a bit more than This however is exemplary and it is understood that the angular extent may range from a minimum of two switch positions up to 360.

Multiple stator contact 27 has body portion 28 with terminal lugs 29 and 30 formed from the body at the ends thereof. Terminal lugs 29 and 30 may be similar to lugs 16 of the individual stator contacts. Multiple Contact 27 has lingers 31 struck out therefrom at periodic angular intervals, including the ends of the contact adjacent lugs 29 and 30. Fingers 31 extend through registering apertures 21a in insulating panel 10. These apertures in the insulating panel are similar to the apertures through which eyelets 22 pass.

Multiple contact 27 also has inwardly projecting contact blades 33. These contact blades are similar to contact blades 18 of the individual stator contacts in that each such contact portion has associated therewith shou1- der 35. Contact blades 33 and contact blades 18 all lie in generally one plane laterally offset from the face of insulating panel 1t). Contact blades 33 preferably have the same angular extent as contact blades 18 and may also be tapered to a thin, inner edge as illustrated in Figure 2.

Cooperating with the various stator contacts is a rotor generally indicated by 37. Rotor 37 consists of insulating disc 38 and metal disc 39 disposed on opposite sides of disc 4i) snugly disposed in aperture 25. Disc 40 is of insulating material and has substantially the same thickness as insulating panel 10. Thus the rotor will be properly centered in aperture 25.

Rotor member 39 is of metal and forms part of the rotor Contact structure. The thickness of rotor metal 39 is such that a tapered contact blade, such as 18 or 33, can rest upon the outer surface of metal member 39. The shape of contact member 39 will generally be circular and the member may have projecting portion 40a for example or arcuate cut-out 41 to provide a desired pattern of switching. The purpose of this shape will be more fully understood when the entire switch construction has been disclosed.

Cooperating with rotor plate 39 is spring rotor member 43. This member consists of central body portion 44 and a plurality of jaws 4S and 46 and 47 extending outwardly from the body portion. Jaws 45, 46 and 47 each have the same angular extent but the radial length may differ depending upon desired switching patterns.

Rotor contacts 39 and 43 are rigidly attached to form part of the complete rotor, the attachment being by way of rivets 50 passing through suitable apertures in the two rotor members and in spacer disc 40.

Spring rotor Contact 43 is disposed above Contact plate 39 as illustrated in Figures l to 3 inclusive. The two rotor members must be fitted to obtain registration of radial extensions or cut-outs in the material. For example projecting portion 4lla of contact plate 39 should register with jaw 45 of Contact member 43. Short jaws 47 ot contact member 43 should register with reduced or cut-out portion 41 of plate 39. The remaining jaws 46 of member 43 may for convenience be considered as normal and register with the corresponding portion of contact plate 39.

In order to provide good switching action, it is preferred to curve the various jaws 45, 46 and 47 so that the radial edges of each jaw are bent upwardly from the body of the jaw as illustrated in Figure 2 for example to provide transverse arching. While contact plate 39 does not require any spring characteristics, contact member 43 of the construction should preferably be of spring brass, copper or Phosphor bronze.

It will thus be seen that insofar as each stator' blade is concerned, a convenient opening between two superposed rotor jaws will be provided. By having certain of the stator contacts unusually long, such stator contacts can cooperate with every rotor contact jaw in every rotor position. On the other hand, by having other stator contacts shorter, jaws 47 for example of the rotor will fail to reach those shorter stator contacts. By controlling the angular position and radial length of the various contacts of the stator and rotor, a wide variety of switch patterns may be established.

The angular extent of rotor members 39 and i3 may be controlled, as by cutting radially into electrically separate contact portions. The various stator contact blades resting upon contact plate 39 will be supported against bending toward panel it). Lateral movement of the rotor is prevented by the large bearing surfaces of the rotor parts on opposite faces of insulating panel lil. The stator contact blades will thus be positioned properly for en'- gagement with any of the spring rotor Contact blades.

A number of switch sections may be mounted in spaced, parallel planes. Each rotor is provided with non-circular openings through the same for accommodatiing an operating shaft. Suitable index means for dening switch positions may also be provided.

It will be apparent that a switch embodying the present invention has many advantages. Thus a stationary contact may have any kind of terminal to which a wire or wires may be soldered or joined in any desired fashion. In the event that wires are soldered to such terminals, the heat due to soldering will have no effect upon the spring of the metal of the movable contacts. Furthermore the rotor is so constructed that end thrust on the rotor is not communicated to spring contacts. In addition, assembly of the parts making up the new switch is facilitated, it being possible to stack the various parts.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary switch comprising a flat plate of insulation having a rotor aperture therethrough, a plurality of stationary contacts disposed on said insulating plate in a circular pattern around said aperture, said stationary contacts having active contact portions extending radially toward the aperture and being spaced at predetermined angular distances, means for maintaining the active contact portions of the stationary contacts in offset relation with respect to the insulating plate, a rotor construction disposed in said aperture, the stationary contacts having the active portions tapered to a knife edge at the innermost parts nearest the rotor, said rotor construction including superposed rotor contact members, one contact member being at and immediately adjacent the insulating plate, the other `contact member having radially extending jaws, said two contact members cooperating so that a jaw is disposed opposite a corresponding part of the at contact member and means for mounting all of said contacts so that all active portions of the stationary contacts are symmetrically disposed with respect to the two rotor Contact members` so that the stationary con tacts may have the active portions thereof gripped 'ecween two rotor contact members, the active stationary contact portions resting upon said [lat rotor member and the other rotor contact member having the jaws disposed over said active stationary contact portions, the contact jaws on the other rotor member being curled so that the radial edges of each jaw are bent away from the active stationary contact portions and the intermediate portion of the jaw presses against the active portion of the stationary contact.

2. The construction according to claim l wherein the two contact members in the rotor and the stationary contact members have different effective lengths radially from the center of the rotor to obtain selective switching as the rotor is turned.

3. The construction according to claim l .vherein a stationary contact includes a member having a substantial angular extent, said member having a plurality of angularly spaced active contact portions.

4. A rotary switch comprising a dat insulating plate having a rotor aperture therethrough and. having at least one series of stator contact mounting rcs disposed symmetrically around said rotor aper plurali? y ci stator contacts attached to said insuiating j z. stator apertures, said stator contacts lying against the insulaing plate and having laterally oset active contact blades extending radially toward the rotor aperture, said stator contacts including at least one multiple Contact having a plurality of angularly spaced contact `dades., said multiple contact having ngers extending th nigh the mounting apertures in the insulating plate ,for 'iining the same in position, a rotor construction including a disc in said ro-tor aperture, said rotor construction having a at metal contact blad-e lying against the face ot' said insulating plate and extending beyond the rotor aperture, said offset stator contact blades lying against the outer surface of said rotor contact plate, said rotor includingy an additional spring contact member disposed above said stator contact blades, said spring contact member having radially extending spring jaws, the rotor contacts being curled so that the sides of a jaw extend away from the stationary contact, the two rotor contact mbers corresponding to each other in radial dimensie! said rotor being adapted to be turned through various switch positions so that said rotor contact members cooperate on opposite sides of a stator Contact blade, said rotor members being adapted to have different radial dimensions` around the rotor center, and the stationary Contact can readily enter a pair of cooperating rotor jaws.

5. The construction according to claim 4 wherein the stator contacts have the contact blades tapering radially` the innermost portion of the blade being the thinnest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,139,561 Petersen Dec. 6, i938 2,440,578 Dietrich Apr. 27, l94S FOREIGN PATENTS 498,652 Belgium Oct. 3l, i950 594,177 Great Britain Nov. 5, i947 1,033,998 France Apr. 8, 1053 

